Highland Springs Hands Lee-Davis First Loss
Entering Lee-Davis tonight the game had a playoff feel to it. The fans were pouring in, the largest showing for the Confederates that I have seen in sometime. The stands were packed and they lined the fence around the field. The music was going, there was a buzz in the air for the fans but on the field, the Springers were going to work, preparing like you would expect a team going into battle with an undefeated team. From the start, the Springers meant business and took care of business.
The first possession of the night for the Springers they marched 51 yards down field highlighted by a 42-yard pass from Juwan Carter to Greg Dortch. That play alone should have been a sign that it was going to be a long night for the Confederates on defense. It took only three more plays for the Springers to get to the endzone when Carter hit Dortch again with a shorter pass to the endzone.
Whereas Highland Springs found success early, the Confederates did not. Sure they moved the ball a total of 34 yards but on the first three possessions of the night for the Confederates, they moved the ball a total of 59 yards and punted the ball on every three occasions. Their final two possessions of the first half resulted in turnovers. The turnovers were an interesting story to say the least.
With about six minutes to go in the first half, the Confederates had the ball 1st & 5 at the 45 when the ball came loose and Ke’vonne Merritt recovered the loose ball. It appeared Highland Springs was poised to score again, Carter hit Dortch with a 44-yard pass and just like that the Springers were knocking on the door at the 8 yard line but DJ Anderson was hit for a loss and the next play was ann incomplete pass from Carter. On third down, Carter went to the air again but Logan Dockman was there in the endzone to intercept the pass and bring it out to the 46 yard line. Just like that, down 21-0 it seemed as though the Confederates might be able to take a positive into halftime. Not the case however as the first play Earl Anderson intercepted Mummau’s pass as Mummau almost seemed to kind of lob the ball over the Springer defender and Anderson wasn’t having that as he leaped up and intercepted it just like that. With a mere minutes, we had three turnovers.
In the first half with Lee-Davis punting, the Springers were not. The Springers had six possessions in the first half and on four of them, they scored. When the Springers weren’t scoring, they were not punting, rather they were turning the ball over.
As the half came to a close there was some chippiness as the Springers were called for a personal foul as the two teams got to shoving one another around a bit as the Confederates tried to make something happen before the end. The penalty would be assessed not with a free play with time expired but rather at the start of the second half.
In the second half, it was more of the same from the first half. The Confederates first possession of the half resulted in yet another punt whereas the Springers were able to march 53 yards for another score stretching the lead to 35-0. It was clear that the Confederates defense was not match for the Springers offense and vice versa. If I can make one observation from this game it is that it is going to take a special defense the likes of Hermitage or Bird to slow this offense down.
Lee-Davis however on their second possession of the third quarter got deep into Springer territory and appeared to threaten to put an end to the shutout. Mummau hooking up with Nick Winston netted positive yards and the Confederates were able to move the ball spreading it around a bit as they worked it to the 18 yard line. Things were looking up until they weren’t… Mummau was caught in the backfield running from Aaron Motley as Motley got the sack setting the Confederates back to the 30. Mummau and the Confederates never got any closer.
In fact the Confederates would have only one more possession on the night. The running clock in play, the Confederates down 35-0 and Highland Springs scoring yet again on a 73-yard drive that saw DaShawn Young score his second touchdown of the night and the longest touchdown of the night at that going 20 yards.
My concern with Lee-Davis was that for much of the season, their wins had come against weaker teams, Highland Springs is anything but weak. The Confederates had not faced a team that has what Highland Springs has on offense or defense. Lee-Davis has made significant strides this season but it’s clear, at 6-1 they are not on the same level as Bird, Hermitage, Highland Springs or even a Douglas Freeman. As for Highland Springs, now 6-1 themselves with their lone loss coming in overtime to Hermitage, this team is one no one wants to play and if it’s any combination of Highland Springs, Hermitage or Bird in the end for a trip to the state semis, we will be in for a whale of a show.
SCORING SUMMARY
1st Quarter-
10:05- Greg Dortch 5-yard touchdown pass from Juwan Carter, PAT good; Highland Springs 7-0.
4:21- Juwan Carter 8-yard touchdown run, PAT good; Highland Springs 14-0.
2nd Quarter-
6:35- DJ Anderson 5-yard touchdown run, PAT good; Highland Springs 21-0.
:49- DaShawn Young 5-yard touchdown run, PAT good; Highland Springs 28-0.
3rd Quarter-
7:34- DaShawn Young 3-yard touchdown run, PAT good; Highland Springs 35-0.
4th Quarter-
3:07- Troy Minor 20-yard touchdown run, PAT good; Highland Springs 42-0.
KEYS TO VICTORY
When you shutout a team 35-0, obviously you did something right on defense and that certainly was the case for Highland Springs tonight. The Confederates had minimal success moving the ball in the first quarter but in the first half alone the Confederates got no closer to the endzone than the 36-yard line. In fact the Confederates didn’t get inside the 20 until midway thru the third quarter when they reached the 18-yard line. The Springers defense had an answer for Mummau and Evans, two of the bigger weapons for the Confederates this season. In addition a stifling defense, the Springers broke up several Mummau passes along with recovering a fumble and intercepting a pass. They made it tough for the Confederates to get any real rhythm or even momentum going in this one
A strong run game was also at the heart of this win tonight for the Springers. In recent weeks it’s been pretty balanced but that was not the case on this night. Seven different players carried the ball on this night for the Springers with DJ Anderson and DaShawn Young combining for 199 yards on the ground and three touchdowns. Running the ball not only ate up clock but made it tough on the defense of Lee-Davis which had no answer for the run game, no matter who it was carrying the ball. The Springers ball carriers on multiple times found holes, got that burst for a few more yards or just made a move to keep the play alive.
Between the defense and the run game, it proved to be a long night for the Confederates.
PLAYERS OF THE GAME
One might think in the case of a game where a team was shutout, a defensive player would be the player of the game but honestly tonight it was a collective team effort that resulted in the shutout. On offense however, it’s hard to argue with DJ Anderson and what he did tonight on the ground. Much of his work came in the first half but even in the second half he was getting it done. Anderson scored just one touchdown but he had over 100 yards rushing with 107 total.
When a team is held scoreless and barely reaches the redzone and on top of that allows 42 points, it’s hard to select a player of the game for said team. That said, without question, if not for the play of quarterback Chase Mummau, the Confederates offense wouldn’t have even had the production it did have on this night. Mummau was 15 of 27 for a 176 yards and while the Confederates did struggle throughout the game, when it did find success, it was usually Mummau who was behind it.
EXTRA POINTS
Highland Springs has three shutouts in their last four games.
First shutout for Lee-Davis since Sept. 13th, 2013.
Till tonight Lee-Davis had not lost by 42 points since 1996.
First shutout in series since Highland Springs shutout Lee-Davis in 2006.
Highland Springs has three shutouts this season, they have not had three or more since the 2006 season.
Entering Lee-Davis tonight the game had a playoff feel to it. The fans were pouring in, the largest showing for the Confederates that I have seen in sometime. The stands were packed and they lined the fence around the field. The music was going, there was a buzz in the air for the fans but on the field, the Springers were going to work, preparing like you would expect a team going into battle with an undefeated team. From the start, the Springers meant business and took care of business.
The first possession of the night for the Springers they marched 51 yards down field highlighted by a 42-yard pass from Juwan Carter to Greg Dortch. That play alone should have been a sign that it was going to be a long night for the Confederates on defense. It took only three more plays for the Springers to get to the endzone when Carter hit Dortch again with a shorter pass to the endzone.
Whereas Highland Springs found success early, the Confederates did not. Sure they moved the ball a total of 34 yards but on the first three possessions of the night for the Confederates, they moved the ball a total of 59 yards and punted the ball on every three occasions. Their final two possessions of the first half resulted in turnovers. The turnovers were an interesting story to say the least.
With about six minutes to go in the first half, the Confederates had the ball 1st & 5 at the 45 when the ball came loose and Ke’vonne Merritt recovered the loose ball. It appeared Highland Springs was poised to score again, Carter hit Dortch with a 44-yard pass and just like that the Springers were knocking on the door at the 8 yard line but DJ Anderson was hit for a loss and the next play was ann incomplete pass from Carter. On third down, Carter went to the air again but Logan Dockman was there in the endzone to intercept the pass and bring it out to the 46 yard line. Just like that, down 21-0 it seemed as though the Confederates might be able to take a positive into halftime. Not the case however as the first play Earl Anderson intercepted Mummau’s pass as Mummau almost seemed to kind of lob the ball over the Springer defender and Anderson wasn’t having that as he leaped up and intercepted it just like that. With a mere minutes, we had three turnovers.
In the first half with Lee-Davis punting, the Springers were not. The Springers had six possessions in the first half and on four of them, they scored. When the Springers weren’t scoring, they were not punting, rather they were turning the ball over.
As the half came to a close there was some chippiness as the Springers were called for a personal foul as the two teams got to shoving one another around a bit as the Confederates tried to make something happen before the end. The penalty would be assessed not with a free play with time expired but rather at the start of the second half.
In the second half, it was more of the same from the first half. The Confederates first possession of the half resulted in yet another punt whereas the Springers were able to march 53 yards for another score stretching the lead to 35-0. It was clear that the Confederates defense was not match for the Springers offense and vice versa. If I can make one observation from this game it is that it is going to take a special defense the likes of Hermitage or Bird to slow this offense down.
Lee-Davis however on their second possession of the third quarter got deep into Springer territory and appeared to threaten to put an end to the shutout. Mummau hooking up with Nick Winston netted positive yards and the Confederates were able to move the ball spreading it around a bit as they worked it to the 18 yard line. Things were looking up until they weren’t… Mummau was caught in the backfield running from Aaron Motley as Motley got the sack setting the Confederates back to the 30. Mummau and the Confederates never got any closer.
In fact the Confederates would have only one more possession on the night. The running clock in play, the Confederates down 35-0 and Highland Springs scoring yet again on a 73-yard drive that saw DaShawn Young score his second touchdown of the night and the longest touchdown of the night at that going 20 yards.
My concern with Lee-Davis was that for much of the season, their wins had come against weaker teams, Highland Springs is anything but weak. The Confederates had not faced a team that has what Highland Springs has on offense or defense. Lee-Davis has made significant strides this season but it’s clear, at 6-1 they are not on the same level as Bird, Hermitage, Highland Springs or even a Douglas Freeman. As for Highland Springs, now 6-1 themselves with their lone loss coming in overtime to Hermitage, this team is one no one wants to play and if it’s any combination of Highland Springs, Hermitage or Bird in the end for a trip to the state semis, we will be in for a whale of a show.
SCORING SUMMARY
1st Quarter-
10:05- Greg Dortch 5-yard touchdown pass from Juwan Carter, PAT good; Highland Springs 7-0.
4:21- Juwan Carter 8-yard touchdown run, PAT good; Highland Springs 14-0.
2nd Quarter-
6:35- DJ Anderson 5-yard touchdown run, PAT good; Highland Springs 21-0.
:49- DaShawn Young 5-yard touchdown run, PAT good; Highland Springs 28-0.
3rd Quarter-
7:34- DaShawn Young 3-yard touchdown run, PAT good; Highland Springs 35-0.
4th Quarter-
3:07- Troy Minor 20-yard touchdown run, PAT good; Highland Springs 42-0.
KEYS TO VICTORY
When you shutout a team 35-0, obviously you did something right on defense and that certainly was the case for Highland Springs tonight. The Confederates had minimal success moving the ball in the first quarter but in the first half alone the Confederates got no closer to the endzone than the 36-yard line. In fact the Confederates didn’t get inside the 20 until midway thru the third quarter when they reached the 18-yard line. The Springers defense had an answer for Mummau and Evans, two of the bigger weapons for the Confederates this season. In addition a stifling defense, the Springers broke up several Mummau passes along with recovering a fumble and intercepting a pass. They made it tough for the Confederates to get any real rhythm or even momentum going in this one
A strong run game was also at the heart of this win tonight for the Springers. In recent weeks it’s been pretty balanced but that was not the case on this night. Seven different players carried the ball on this night for the Springers with DJ Anderson and DaShawn Young combining for 199 yards on the ground and three touchdowns. Running the ball not only ate up clock but made it tough on the defense of Lee-Davis which had no answer for the run game, no matter who it was carrying the ball. The Springers ball carriers on multiple times found holes, got that burst for a few more yards or just made a move to keep the play alive.
Between the defense and the run game, it proved to be a long night for the Confederates.
PLAYERS OF THE GAME
One might think in the case of a game where a team was shutout, a defensive player would be the player of the game but honestly tonight it was a collective team effort that resulted in the shutout. On offense however, it’s hard to argue with DJ Anderson and what he did tonight on the ground. Much of his work came in the first half but even in the second half he was getting it done. Anderson scored just one touchdown but he had over 100 yards rushing with 107 total.
When a team is held scoreless and barely reaches the redzone and on top of that allows 42 points, it’s hard to select a player of the game for said team. That said, without question, if not for the play of quarterback Chase Mummau, the Confederates offense wouldn’t have even had the production it did have on this night. Mummau was 15 of 27 for a 176 yards and while the Confederates did struggle throughout the game, when it did find success, it was usually Mummau who was behind it.
EXTRA POINTS
Highland Springs has three shutouts in their last four games.
First shutout for Lee-Davis since Sept. 13th, 2013.
Till tonight Lee-Davis had not lost by 42 points since 1996.
First shutout in series since Highland Springs shutout Lee-Davis in 2006.
Highland Springs has three shutouts this season, they have not had three or more since the 2006 season.
